Brokers warn PCW and ChatGPT quote declines risk convincing consumers they are ‘uninsurable’

Nearly two thirds of brokers fear that price comparison website (PCW) and ChatGPT quoting journeys that end without a quote are leaving some consumers with the impression that their houses are “uninsurable”.

This is according to new research from Prestige Underwriting, released today (12 October 2026), which also found that some 72% of brokers had encountered customers with non-standard risks that had been declined through such sources.

Risks that are commonly cited in PCW declines include non-standard construction (63%), unoccupancy (60%), subsidence history (56%), flood risk or location (55%) and previous claims history (46%).

The firm said that the research raised questions over whether PCWs and artificial intelligence (AI) quoting services were adequately explaining unsuccessful quote outcomes and whether customers “understand the difference between a risk falling outside an online service’s appetite and cover being unavailable across the market”.

More complex risk, Prestige added, is regularly handled by MGAs and brokers with increased access to the wider market and as such should not be considered a barrier to customers declined by “highly standardised” online quote journeys.

Specialist assessment

Alison Williams, managing director at Prestige Underwriting, said: “For a customer, reaching the end of a quote journey without an offer can feel like being told their home cannot be insured. Our research shows brokers are encountering customers who have drawn exactly that conclusion.

“The way an unsuccessful result is explained matters. Customers need to understand what the service has been unable to offer and whether their circumstances may need specialist assessment.”

She added: “Non-standard construction, unoccupancy or a history of subsidence can require a more detailed underwriting conversation. An online journey that cannot accommodate those circumstances should explain its limitations clearly.

“A decline does not mean a customer is uninsurable. We need quote journeys that give customers enough information to make their next decision with confidence.”